Prologue
Twenty-five years ago
Ireland
“Thea! Enough! Get in the vehicle. Now.”
She glanced at Mrs. Boyle who ran the children’s home. The woman’s tone promised retribution, but Thea didn’t care. Her attention was drawn back to the portal stones. She felt the vibration of the ancient boulders, and she didn’t understand why no one else could.
“Ow,” Thea cried when long fingers wrapped painfully around her arm.
Mrs. Boyle jerked her around and put her face near Thea’s. “You don’t listen, child. And you wonder why others find foster homes and you do not. You’ve been with us since infancy. In five years, you’ve yet to grasp that I won’t tolerate disobedience.”
Even when the thin twig slapped against her bare legs, Thea looked at the stones, her hands yearning to touch them. The wind began to howl. She glanced up to see that the blue sky was gone, replaced by dark, angry clouds. A second later, lightning flashed overhead, quickly followed by thunder that rumbled the ground.
But it didn’t scare Thea. All she wanted was to get closer to the boulders. Why wouldn’t anyone let her near them? It wasn’t as if she could harm them.
She fought against Mrs. Boyle’s hold as the headmistress dragged her back to the other children. All the while, Thea kept reaching out to the portal stones.
Long after she was tossed into the vehicle and the door slammed shut, she stared at the ancient boulders until they were no longer in sight. No matter how long it took, she would return.
One day. . . .
Chapter One
Kilkenny, Ireland
February
The portal stones stood against the sunset like giants. And just like many years earlier, they called to her, urging her closer.
Thea’s hand tightened on her violin case. It had been nearly three weeks since her last visit to the stones, and each time the same anxiety, the same restlessness filled her. As if her belonging there were preordained.
From the very first time she had seen the megalithic structure, she had been struck by its beauty. And its mystery.
“Leac an Scail,” she whispered as she walked closer. Stone of the warrior.
Kilmogue was one of the largest dolmens in all of Ireland. Without a doubt, it was one of the most impressive. It stood twelve feet high with the capstone over thirteen feet long.
Thea reached the stones and set down her case. She rested her hand on one of the boulders and felt the warmth that seemed to radiate out from the inside.
She walked all around the dolmen, looking at the capstone resting on two large boulders with a pillow stone laying on its backstone. She stopped at the entrance that faced northeast with the enormous doorstone almost ten feet high.
For long minutes, she stood in the doorway. Once, about ten years ago, she’d almost gotten the nerve to walk inside. They weren’t called portal stones for nothing. But she lacked the courage then. And now.
Instead, she visited the dolmen as often as she could, waiting to see what the stones wanted from her. Because she knew they desired something. Otherwise, why would they continue to call her back?
Thea retrieved her case and gently laid it flat to open it. Then she pulled out the violin and tucked it beneath her chin as she found the bow. She placed her fingers on the strings and closed her eyes to let the music find her. The notes constantly floated around in her mind, forming melodies and songs without any effort. Today was no different.
Placing her bow on the strings, she gently pulled it back, hearing the first soft tones. She gave herself to the music, the notes rising and falling on their own.
And her body played as if controlled by another.
Song after song fell from her hands, filling the air. She lost track of time, as she usually did while playing. But there was nothing purer or more beautiful than music.
It fed her soul as nothing else could. And it had saved her.
At only eight years of age, she had struggled to get through each day. Utterly alone and buried in depression—so low that she actually begged to die while in the children’s home. It wasn’t death that she was given, but a violin.
Ms. Fylan, who smiled without saying a word, had placed the instrument in Thea’s hands. For weeks, Thea sat in music class without attempting to play. Each day, she found herself looking forward to hearing more of the tunes.
Nearly two months passed before she tried to play the violin. From her first cringe-worthy note, she discovered her passion.
While Ms. Fylan had given her the instrument, ultimately, it was the music that saved Thea.
She’d never found a foster family. Instead, she spent her days in the children’s home until she was able to go out into the world. Those formative years made her strong enough to survive on her own.
She worked numerous jobs to pay for University. It didn’t matter how long her day was or how exhausted she felt, she never went to bed without playing her violin.
That’s how Duane found her. He’d been walking home from a gig at a nearby tavern and heard her through an open window. He’d called up to her. While Thea never thought to play in a band, Duane’s offer intrigued her.
The next day, she went for an audition, and two nights later, she was performing her first gig. It paid so well that it became her sole source of income.
Returning from her reverie, she finished the last song and let the note fade away. Thea opened her eyes as she lowered her bow arm. Darkness surrounded her, with nothing but the moonlight and stars to light the way.
The inside of the portal stones was black as pitch, but for just a moment, she thought she heard something within. It had been a deep rumbling, almost like a . . . growl.
Thea swallowed, her heart beginning to pound against her chest. She contemplated leaving, but the pull of the stones was too strong.
With the sounds of the night all around her—and nothing coming from the dolmen—she adjusted her chin and began to play again.
Except she kept her eyes open this time. So many times, she’d come to play, but nothing like this had ever happened before. It was a little frightening. Then again, it would take much more than some sound to make her run away.
The way her mood had turned, Thea wasn’t surprised when the music shifted from something soft and soothing to a somber, stirring song.
She swayed with the gripping melody. Each note slid through her body until she felt it in every muscle, every bone. She was so engrossed in the music that, at first, she didn’t see the glow emanating from within the portal stones.
Thea stepped back and tried to stop playing but she couldn’t. The music continued, almost of its own accord. Her gaze was locked on the doorway as the soft pinpoint of light grew larger in diameter.
The edges of the radiance rippled as if it were water. She gasped, her heart jumping into her throat when a hand appeared out of the light.
With fingers spread wide, the appendage reached for something, anything to grab hold of. As more of the arm appeared, she saw the veins protruding and muscles flexing. Almost as if it were taking every bit of strength for whoever was coming through just to pull themselves out.
Suddenly, the arm was yanked back into the darkness until only the wrist and hand remained. Thea set her violin in its case and hesitantly started toward the doorway. She had to turn her head to the side and shield her eyes because the light was so bright.
“What the bloody hell are you doing?” she asked herself.
No one in their right mind would walk toward the scary light and hand. Then again, what kind of sane person played a violin in front of some portal stones?
Thea hesitated another moment before she reached out and grasped the hand. Strong fingers wrapped around hers. The grip was tight and bordered on painful, but she didn’t let go. Not even when she was pulled toward the light.
She dug her heels into the earth and used both hands to yank on the appendage. Thea gritted her teeth and used all of her strength to drag the person out—and stop herself from being pulled in.
More of the arm appeared. A moment later, the shoulder. Then a second arm latched onto Thea. That was the only warning she had before she saw the muscles flex in the limbs as the hands yanked.
The heels of her boots sank deeper into the dirt and left trails as she was dragged forward. Somehow, she knew that whoever this was wasn’t trying to pull her in. They were attempting to get out. Since there was nothing else for the person to grab onto, she was acting like a rope.
Her eyes widened when a head appeared. Long, inky black hair hung all around the face. Then the chin lifted, and liquid silver eyes speared her.
She found herself staring at a man—a very gorgeous, dirty man.
His face was lined with determination. Suddenly, he looked back into the light and bared his teeth as he growled. But it was the answering rumble of something dark and nefarious that caused her heart to skip a beat.
The man said nothing as he returned his gaze to her. She renewed her efforts while he continued to pull himself out. Finally, he got one leg free and set his foot on the ground. She glanced down and saw that his jeans were in tatters, his limbs coated in blood.
He threw back his head and howled in pain and anger. Thea thought she saw something dark begin to emerge behind him. She barely caught sight of it before the man roughly shoved her away.
It was so unexpected that she stumbled back, trying to get her legs beneath her. Instead, she slammed against one of the portal rocks, knocking the back of her head as she did. Pain exploded, causing her to black out for a second.
She heard grunts but could see little of the fighting because of the bright light. She struggled to get the pain under control so she could see. When she was finally able to focus again, she saw the man hitting what appeared to be a black blob.
Then, he turned and grabbed her. He lifted her in one arm as if she were a sack. Then he tossed her out of the dolmen. She landed hard on her side and rolled. When she stopped, she looked up to find him standing before the portal stones with his legs spread as if he were ready for . . . something.
He had his back to her so she couldn’t see his face, but she did glimpse what looked like an iridescent orb that continued to grow bigger and bigger in his hand. Then he threw it at the light.
There was a second of silence before the dolmen exploded. Thea ducked her face and covered her head with her arms. She felt the man land heavily on top of her to shield her from the debris that rained down upon them.
It felt like forever before he rolled off onto his back. Thea glanced at him before she rose up on her elbows to look at him. His quicksilver eyes were locked on her.
She gaped at them and the fact that there were no pupils to be seen. Only beautiful pools of what looked like liquid mercury.
“Run,” he whispered before his eyes closed.
